Method and apparatus for filling cartons

ABSTRACT

Cartons are positioned in a tilted attitude to receive a group of items which are slid simultaneously, as a group, along arcuate courses into the carton. The filled carton is then moved to a horizontal attitude and removed.

United States Patent Nigrelli et a1. ..53/166 X Firm (451 Sept. 19, 1972 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 3,546,838 12/1970 Alduk ..53/159 X FILLING CARTONS 2,043,411 6/1936 Kimball ..53/153 X 3 377 771 4/1968 Schmidt ..53/153 7 I 2] Invent 2 632 S Crystal Lake 3,486,296 12/1969 Hechenle1tner ..53/244 x r 3,585,782 6/1971 Staley ..53/244 X [73] Assignee: Swift & Company, Chicago, Ill.

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill [22] 1970 Attorney-Edward T. McCabe, Charles E. Bouton and [21] App]. No.: 94,011 W. C. Davis [52 us. C1. ..53/35, 53/166, 53/248 [57] ABSTRACT [51 1 Int. Cl. ..B65b 5/08 Cartons are positioned in a tilted attitude to receive a [58] Field 01 Search ..53/ 152, 153, 159, 164, 165, group of items which are slid simultaneously, as a 53/166, 244, 246-251, 35 group, along arcuate courses into the carton, The filled carton is then moved to a horizontal attitude and [56] References Cited removed.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDsEP 9 1912 saw 1 or 4 AT TYY PATENTEBssnsmn 3,691.71?

SHEET 2 0F 4 INVENTDFI" MICHAEL E, F IF'RU PKTENTED EPWIB 3.691.717

sum 3 or 4 INVENTEIR' MICHAEL 5n F'IFJF'U METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING CARTONS This invention relates to the art of placing items such as packages or containers or the like within a carton; and more specifically is an improved method and apparatus for filling cartons with a certain number of items.

Prior art cartoning machines have generally taken one of two forms. In one form the carton is held horizontally and items to be packaged therein are dropped vertically from a point above the carton. Such a technique is applicable only to items that can withstand substantial shock and are not susceptible to damage. Even with items such as canned goods, however, a significant number of items will receive damage such as dents and .the like.

Another form of prior art apparatus turns the carton to a vertical position so as to receive items pushed horizontally therein. While this eliminates the dropping of the items into the carton, special precautions must be taken to prevent the items placed therein from falling from the carton before it is returned to a horizontal attitude for closing.

Also previously it has generally been necessary to deliver items serially, and place them within a carton sequentially or to collect individual items until a sufficient number were assembled for packaging as a group adjacent the carton and then transfer the group bodily into the carton. Moving groups of items have not readily been transferred directly into cartons without first being arrested and oriented. I

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for filling items into a carton in a manner to reduce the likelihood of damage to the items.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for filling items into a carton so as to reduce the falling impact upon items being fed by gravity into the carton.

It is still another object of the present'invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for filling items into a carton wherein the carton is positioned for filling so as to reduce the tendency for items to fall therefrom.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for transferring a number of items moving continuously as a group into a carton adapted to receive said number of items in a prescribed orientation.

Basically the present invention involves the positioning of an open carton at a given location where it is to be loaded, and tilting the carton to an attitude between horizontal and vertical whereat it receives a given number of items that are simultaneously ejected as a group from a moving carrier running above and to one side of the tilted carton. The group of items is caused to slide along a substantially arcuate course into the carton which is thereafter moved to a horizontal position and removed from the first mentioned location.

The basic apparatus devised for carrying out the foregoing method comprises a tiltable means for receiving a carton at a first location and conveying means for delivering and removing cartons with respect to said tiltable means. Above the tiltable means is located an arcuate form chute, the lower end of which will be aligned with a tilted carton positioned on the simultaneously receive a number of items from a carri- Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with a carton shown in horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the preferred apparatus with the carton moved to a tilted attitude; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are simplified illustrations of various positions assumed by the apparatus in operation.

According to the present method a carton is filled with containers, or the like, while it is held in a tilted attitude between horizontal and vertical positions. An attitude of approximately 45 from the horizontal is advantageous. The containers, such as canned hams and the like are ejected onto delivery courses that are arcuately directed downwardly into the open mouth of the tilted carton. Preferably the carton contains internal dividers defining a plurality of cells therein; and an equal plurality of containers are simultaneously ejected onto an equal number of separate courses which serve to orient the containers while leading directly to the respective separate cells.

- The cartons are first preassembled, with the top flaps folded open, and sequentially conveyed horizontally to a first given location below and to one side of the aforementioned courses. Preferably the items to be filled into a carton are carried, in a group of a given number equal to the cells within the carton, past the upper terminus of the aforementioned courses. As the items approach the courses the carton is swung or tilted on a resilient support to an inclined attitude aligned with the courses onto which the containers will be ejected. The open top of the carton is preferably brought into abutment with the lower terminus of these courses.

Preferably the carton is moved to abutting relation in two steps. First it is tilted to the desired inclined attitude; and then it is moved, while held in that attitude, in an inclineddirection directly onto the ends of the courses. Thereafter upon the group of containers coming abreast of the upper terminus of the courses, the containers are ejected simultaneously to slide across the courses and directly into the cells of the carton. The arcuate path of the containers across the courses and the raised position of the carton reduces the falling impact due to gravity of the containers upon reaching the carton. The impact is preferably further reduced by decelerating the containers as they leave the end of the courses and enter the carton. Preferably the impact is still further reduced by resiliently supporting the carton in its inclined attitude so that it may move slightly with the items as they are received therein.

Thereafter the filled carton is moved to a horizontal position at the first location and it is thence removed horizontally therefrom.

As may be seen in the figures a preferred apparatus devised to position a carton generally 11 to receive a group of a given number of containers 12 from a carrier generally 13 that moves continuously on a trolley generally 14 following a track generally 15 and being pulled therealong by a cable 16. The carrier generally 13 is comprised of a plurality of open-ended cells 18 arranged in two rows, one above the other, .through which an equal number of pushers generally '19 may be extended to eject the containers therefrom.

The pushers generally 19 each comprise a curved ram face 20, adapted to engage the containers, mounted on a relatively short rod 21. The pushers generally 19 are located to one side of a stabilizer 22 positioned opposite the upper end of a chute generally 28 and spaced therefrom a distance to permit movement of the carrier generally 13..The pushers generally 19 are mounted upon a swinging frame 24 that is actuatedby a pneumatic cylinder 25, or the like, to extend the rods 21 and ram faces 20 through the cells 18 of a carrier generally 13 so as to push the containers 12 therefrom and into the cute generally 28.

. The'chute generally 28 is comprised-of an upper arcuate section 29 containing a substantially congruent arcuate horizontal divider 30 and a pair of vertical dividers3l, 32 arranged to define a plurality (six in number) of ways ,or courses adapted to separately receive the respective containers 12from each of the cells 18 of the carrier generally 13. The upper arcuate section 29 of chute generally 28 terminates in a mounting flange 33 to which a demountable lower section 34 may be secured by fasteners. The lower section 34 is similarly divided into a plurality of ways or courses that are coextensive with those of the upper arcuate section 29. These courses terminate at the lower end of the demountable lower section 34 in at least an equal number of flexible blades 35 that are shaped and positioned to extend a short distance into a carton l 1 that is brought into abutment with the lower end of the lower section 34.

The lower section 34 of chute generally 28 is made demountable so that similar elements of varying dimensions may be substituted to accommodate containers 12 of differing sizes and cartons 11 of differing heights and dimensions. This section may taper so as to orient relatively. small containers into closer configuration than they are on the carrier generally 33.

The cartons 11 are delivered to a'position beneath the chute generally 28from an assembly station (not shown) on a delivery conveyor generally 38 that is trained about a terminal pulley 39 mounted upon a stationary frame generally 40. This frame includes four upright members 41, 42, 43 and 44 top and bottom end rails 45, 46 and front and rear rails 47, 48 so as to form a box-like structure.

The carton 1 1 is received from the delivery conveyor generally 38 upon a plurality of rollers 51 joumalled between a pair of side plates 52, 53. The rollers 51 are driven in the same direction as the delivery carrier generally 38 by a common drive train comprising an electric motor 54, chain 55 and sprockets 56 associated with each roller. An endless belt 57 may be trained about a number of the rollers 51 so as to be coextensive with the delivery carrier 38.

The side plates 52, 53, and hence the rollers 51, are mounted upon a tiltable platform generally 60 comprising a bed 61 (to which the side plates 52, 53 are secured as by welding and the like) and a motor mount 62 depending beneath the bed 61 at one side thereof. The electric motor 54 is secured to the motor mount 62 and will be held thereby in a fixed position with respect to the bed 61 regardless of the attitude to which the tiltable platform generally '60 is moved.

Provision is made for accurately positioning the carton 1 1 on the tiltable platform generally 60 by means of reciprocable stop fingers 65 that are vertically extendable between two adjacent rollers 51. The stop fingers 65 are reciprocable upon a piston rod extendable from a pneumatic cylinder 67. Preferably the stop fingers 65 are connected to the rod 66 by an offset arm 68 whereby the position of the stop fingers may be adjusted to allow for cartons of varying sizes and to stop the movement of said cartons directly opposite an edge of the demountable lower section 34 of the chute generally 28. Apair of adjustable guide rails 69, 70 are mounted above the rollers 51 on a plurality'of threaded rods 71 which are adjustably secured by lock'nuts-72 to an equal number of vertical stanchions, 73 that are secured to each of the side plates 52, 53.

Preferably the entire tiltable platform assembly heretofore described is supported for inclined move ment on a liftable'frame generally 76 comprised of a plurality of corner posts 77, 78, 79, side rails 81, 82 and end rails 83, 84 secured in box-like form. At the rear of the liftable frame generally 76 (as viewed in FIG. 1 and to the left in FIGS. 2 and 3) and'at the top thereof are a pair of short pivot shafts 86, 87; and pivotably mounted thereon by bearings 88, 89 is the bed 61 of the tiltable platform generally 60. The tiltable platform generally 60 is pivoted on the shafts 86, 87 by means of a power cylinder 91, the piston .rod 92thereof being connected to the bed 61 of the tiltable platform generally 60 by means of a clevis 93 attached at an edge thereof opposite the bearings. The bottom of the power cylinder 91 is pivotably mounted to the lower side rail 82 of the liftable frame generally 76 by means of another clevis 94. The angular displacement of the tiltable platform generally 60 is regulatable by known means such as limiting the throw of the piston rod 92.

Liftable frame generally 76 is movable in an inclined upward direction by means of a resilient or cushioning type of device such as a pair of bellows or air bags 97, 98 that are fixed to flanges 99, 100, respectively. Those flanges are secured to inclined tracks 101, 102 which, in turn, are fastened to the ends of stationary frame generally 40. The movable ends of the bellows 97, 98 are fastened to the upper end rails 83 of the liftable frame generally 76. A second parallel inclined track is fastened at each end of the stationary frame 40', and a plurality of casters such as those indicated at 104-107 are secured to the liftable frame generally 76 and are trained to move on the inclined tracks 101, 102, etc. Thus, when pressurized air is introduced into the bellows 97, 98 theyare extended to lift the liftable frame generally 76 in the direction of the inclined tracks 101, 102. The extent of this inclined movement is adjustable, within limits, by means of a trip switch (not shown) that is positioned to be contacted by the liftable frame 76 to thereby actuate a solenoid valve or the like (not shown) controlling the delivery of pressurized air to the bellows.

. A discharge conveyor generally is trained about a terminal pulley 11 I mounted on the stationary frame generally 40 opposite and similar to the delivery conveyor generally 38. Both of the delivery and discharge conveyors may be operated either continuously or. on demand as may be best suited to a given operation. Similarly the rollers 51 may be driven continuously or intermittently by the electric motor 54 as may be desired. If the rollers 51 are driven continuously the stop fingers 65 and associated pneumatic cylinder 67 should be mounted to the underside of the bed 61 of tiltable platform generally 60; and the stop fingers 65 extended upwardly between the rollers 51 for the duration of the time that a carton 11 is being filled. However, it is also possible to de-energize the electric motor 54 upon the carton l1 reaching the proper position by either detecting with photoelectric means or limit switches (not shown). In the latter case the electric motor 54 would normally be re-energized upon return of the tiltable platform generally 60 to a horizontal position after being first cycled to the tilted attitude.

In operation a carton 11 is delivered by the conveyor 38 onto the rollers 51 mounted above the tiltable platform generally 60 and comes to a stop when it abuts against the stop fingers 65. The carton is positioned laterally by being guided between the guide rails 69, 70 located above the rollers 51 and in the path of the carton as it leaves the delivery conveyor generally 38. When a carton is thus positioned on the tiltable platform generally 60 and a loaded carrier generally 13 approaches the upper end of the chute generally 28, the power cylinder 91 is actuated to extend the piston rod 92 thereof upwardly so as to tilt the platform 60 and carton l l to an attitude whereat the top of the carton is substantially parallel to and spaced slightly from the bottom of the lower section 34 of the chute generally 28. Pressurized air is then direct to both bellows 97, 98 whereby the liftable frame generally 76 with the tiltable platform generally 60, thereon, is moved upwardly directly toward the end of the lower section 34 of chute generally 28. Preferably the flexible blades 35 extending from the bottom thereof extend into the cells of the carton 11 when the liftable frame 76 is elevated. Thence, when the carrier generally 13 is directly opposite the upper section 29 of the chute, the pushers generally 19 are driven by the pneumatic cylinder 25 through the carrier whence the containers 12 therein are pushed onto the ways or courses formed by the horizontal and vertical dividers 30, 31, 32 within the chute generally 28. The containers then slide by gravity through the chute and into the carton 11. As the containers reach the lower end of the lower section 34, they are finally directed into the carton and partially decelerated by the flexible blades 35. Upon striking the bottom of the carton 11 the weight of the containers 12 will be resiliently received and cushioned by a slight movement rearwardly in the bellows 97, 98. The bellows 97, 98 are then exhausted to return the liftable frame generally 76 to its initial, lowered, position.

Thereafter the power cylinder 91 is reversed and the tiltable platform generally 60 returned to the horizontal position whereupon the stop fingers 65 are retracted and/or the electric motor 54 powers the rollers 51 to advance the filled carton onto the discharge conveyor 110.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved method for filling a carton with a given number of items, said method comprising: carrying an open top carton horizontally to a first location to one side and below an arcuate path for containers; tilting said carton at said first location to a tilted attitude between horizontal and vertical and toward said arcuate path; ejecting a given number of containers at an unloading point spaced above the tilted carton substantially simultaneously and allowing said containers to slide by the influence of gravity through said arcuate path and through an open top of said container while held in said tilted attitude returning said carton, when filled with containers therein, to said horizontal position at said first location; and horizontally removing said carton and containers therein.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said arcuate path terminates in alignment with said carton in said tilted attitude.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carton while in said tilted attitude is lifted in an inclined direction onto the lower end of said arcuate path for containers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said given numbers of containers are transported as a vertically arranged group moving continuously in a given direction trained to pass an unloading point above said first location and at an upper end of said arcuate path for containers; and ejecting said containers simultaneously onto said path when said group is directly opposite said unloading point.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the carton is provided with separate cells and the containers are decelerated as they enter said cells in said carton.

6. An improved apparatus for filling a given number of items into a carton, said apparatus comprising: a stationary frame; a delivery course for items above said frame; a tiltable frame pivotally mounted to be movable from a horizontal first position to an inclined attitude between said delivery course and said stationary frame; conveying means on said stationary frame for delivering and removing cartons with respect to said tiltable frame when in said first position; positioning means connected to said tiltable frame for accurately locating a carton thereon; and power means connected to pivot said tiltable frame between said horizontal first position in alignment with said conveying means and said inclined attitude.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a substantially arcuate form chute spaced above said stationary frame opposite said tiltable frame and terminating at a point to be aligned with a carton positioned on said tiltable frame when pivoted to said inclined attitude.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said chute is divided into a plurality of substantially arcuate and parallel ways whereby to guide separate items into said carton.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the chute is comprised of at least upper and lower sections, said lower section being demountably attached to said upper section so as to be removable and replaceable by a lower section of different dimension whereby to accommodate cartons of different sizes positioned on said tiltable frame.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each way terminates in at least one flexible blade extending within said carton on said tiltable platform, when inclined,

12. The apparatus of claim 1 1 including lifting means m attached to said liftable frame for moving same between said lower and upper positions.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 including a substantially arcuate form chute spaced above said stationary frame opposite said tiltable frame and terminating at a point to be engaged by a carton positioned on said tiltable frame when pivoted to said inclined attitude and when said liftable frame is in said upper position.

I! l i l 

1. An improved method for filling a carton with a given number of items, said method comprising: carrying an open top carton horizontally to a first location to one side and below an arcuate path for containers; tilting said carton at said first location to a tilted attitude between horizontal and vertical and toward said arcuate path; ejecting a given number of containers at an unloading point spaced above the tilted carton substantially simultaneously and allowing said containers to slide by the influence of gravity through said arcuate path and through an open top of said container while held in said tilted attitude returning said carton, when filled with containers therein, to said horizontal position at said first location; and horizontally removing said carton and containers therein.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said arcuate path terminates in alignment with said carton in said tilted attitude.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carton while in said tilted attitude is lifted in an inclined direction onto the lower end of said arcuate path for containers.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said given numbers of containers are transported as a vertically arranged group moving continuously in a given direction trained to pass an unloading point above said first location and at an upper end of said arcuate path for containers; and ejecting said containers simultaneously onto said path when said group is directly opposite said unloading point.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the carton is provided with separate cells and the containers are decelerated as they enter said cells in said carton.
 6. An improved apparatus for filling a given number of items into a carton, said apparatus comprising: a stationary frame; a delivery course for items above said frame; a tiltable frame pivotally mounted to be movable from a horizontal first position to an inclined attitude between said delivery course and said stationary frame; conveying means on said stationary frame for delivering and removing cartons with respect to said tiltable frame when in said first position; positioning means connected to said tiltable frame for accurately locating a carton thereon; and power means connected to pivot said tiltable frame between said horizontal first position in alignment with said conveying means and said inclined attitude.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a substantially arcuate form chute spaced above said stationary frame opposite said tiltable frame and terminating at a point to be aligned with a carton positioned on said tiltable frame when pivoted to said inclined attitude.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said chute is divided into a plurality of substantially arcuate and parallel ways whereby to guide separate items into said carton.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the chute is comprised of at least upper and lower sections, said lower section being demountably attached to said upper section so as to be removable and replaceable by a lower section of different dimension whereby to accommodate cartons of different sizes positioned on said tiltable frame.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each way terminates in at least one flexible blade extending within said carton on said tiltable platform, when inclined, whereby to accurately guide separate items to positions within said carton and to decelerate the motion of said items.
 11. The apparatus of claim 6 including a liftable frame movably mounted between lower and upper positions on inclined rails fastened to said stationary frame, and wherein said tiltable frame is pivotally mounted to said liftable frame.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 including lifting means attached to said liftable frame for moving same between said lower and upper positions.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11 including a substantially arcuate form chute spaced above said stationary frame opposite said tiltable frame and terminating at a point to be engaged by a carton positioned on said tiltable frame when pivoted to said inclined attitude and when said liftable frame is in said upper position. 